Chinese street photographer Tao Liu recently became a sensation thanks to a keen eye and good timing, shooting him (pun intended) into stardom within 24 hours of his images first hitting Weibo, China's version of Twitter. A government water-meter reader by trade, Liu taught himself everything he knows about photography. Utilizing proxy IP addresses to gain YouTube access and a Fujifilm FinePix X100 to practice, the artist modeled his work after Japanese photographer Daido Moriyama. However, due to his witty visual play on social issues in China, Liu is making a name all his own.

While he has taken too many great photos to count, here are a few thought-provoking snaps that might just make Tao Liu your new favorite artist. You can check out more of his work on Facebook, and trust us . . . you'll want to.